Plate clamp



Oct.' 26 1926. 1,604,653 E. L. MARTIN PLATE CLAMP Filed Nov. 29, 1924 2Sheejs-Sheet l E. L. MARTIN PLATE CLAMP Oct. 26 g 1926.

Filed Nov. 29, .1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m .mm R.

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ysra-ras n irs EARL L. MARTIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO R. HOE&CO., INC., OFNEW YORK,

`N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PLATE CLAMP.

Application filed November 29,` 1924. Serial No. 752,838.

YVith these and other objects not specificallyreferred to in view, theinventionconsists in certain novel parts, combinations and arrangementswhich will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings andthe novel features pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In 'these drawings which show one concrete embodiment of the invention--Figure l is an end view of a plate sup- Y port, partly in section andpartly Vbrolren Jab away, the view showing the generalarrangement-"ofthe parts. p

Figure 2 is a plan View of the construction shownin Figure 1,`the viewbeing taken looking in vthe direction of arrow 2 of that figure. n y

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale of oneen'd of a plate support 'illustrating the operating mechanism, theplates being shown in locked position. Y

Figure 4 is a similar section showing vthe plates released, and y' yFigure 5 is a detail sectional view o flthe clamp operating mechanismshown with a portion of the tool for operating the same.

Referring now to Vthese drawings, the construction selectedto illustratethe invention includes a plate support which is inthe form of a cylinderl.' It will beunderstood as to certain features of the invention, theclamp could be employed with a plate support other than a cylinder. 4 ni, This cylinder l is supported in the `usual manner upon a shaft .2which may be mounted in any usual and desired manner in the framework ofthe machine, 'not shown. The cylinder will belcapacitated to carry thedesired number of plates across the cylinder, two such plates, l?, P',being shown. The outer edge of the plate P and the inner edge of theouter plate l? engage clip 3 having undercut edges, indicated at 4, toreceive the bevelled edges 5 of the plates. This clip is inthe formy ofa block which has passed therethrough the reduced end 6 of an oper- Iating rod 7 .and this block has a longitudinal movement in a recess 8cut in the cylinder wall. The end of the rod 6 isprovided with a fiangeor collar 9 arranged .to bear against the ilnncr face of the block, asshown in Figure The outer edge ofthe outer plate P is en gaged by aclipplate 10 having an inwardly bevelled edge l1 for engagement with thebevelled edge of the plate. This clip l() is, as it will be'observed byreferring to Figure 2, awide clip, that is, the clip is made ofsufficient dimensions to engage a considerable part of the edge of theplate so that a very firm backing forthe plate is pro-vided and theplate is very securely clamped in position. This clip l0 is mounted soas to have a movement toward and awayfrom the plate and in the bestconstructions the movement away from the plate, so as to free thelatter,

is automatically accomplished. As shown,

in guideways 13 formed in recesses 14; cut in f the cylinder walls. Therods in these recesses are surrounded with coiled springs 15 which actto force the blocks outwardly to free the plate when the clip isreleased by its `operating mechanism, as hereinafter referred to, andthis movement of the rods also moves the blocks 3 and frees the innerplate. The plate clip 10 may be secured to the blocks in any suitablemanner, as by screws 16. VVhei-e, in the present embodiment of theinvention, the plate support is a cylinder, this clip will be circularor semi-ring shaped, as shown in the drawing. Inv accordance with theinvention, means are provided for malnipulatingthis Vplate clip so as tomovethe throughout its length. lThese means, fur-A thermore, will besuch as to'be easily -manipulated and readily accessible to the press'-man. As shown, there are provided a pair of v slides 17 and 18 which areso shaped as to maintain a parallel relation with the clip and with anabutment 19. 'Ihe inner faces of these slides 17 and 18 are, however,corlres'pondingly wedge-shaped or tapered, as indicatedat 2O in Figure2. These slides have a sliding movement circumferentially of thecylinder and as they are moved in one direction the clip is forced intoclamping relation, and as they are moved in the other direction theclamp is released. A convenient way for effecting this movement of theslides is thatshown in which a suflicient portion of the inner faces ofthe slides is cut away, 'as indicated at 21and these portions areprovided with racks 22, these racks and the openings being of sufficientlength to allow the required travel or movement of the slides.Engagingwith theseslides is a vpinion 23 which has at its upper end asquare recess 24:. This pinion carries a movable stud 25 which, at its`upper end, is formed with a head or stop 26. The recess 24 receives anoperating tool,such as a common lug'wrench 27, part of` which is shownin Figure in operative position. This pinion is provided with upper andlower shoulders 23 and 29 between which extend holding projections onblocks 31 suitably secured in place, the pinion thus having a bearing inthese lugs. flic rotation of this pinion, by means of the wrench 2T orother suitable tool, reciprocates the slides so as to increase ordecrease the distance between tlielclip 10 and the abutment 19, and bythis movement the bevelled edge of the clip 10 is forced against thebevelled edge of the outer plate and the plate is thus rigidly andfirmly locked on the cylinder, as `shown inIfigure 3.

' The abutment against which the. parts workinay be of any suitableconstruction` but, in the constructionl shown, comprises a clamp ringbolted to the end of the cylinder and extending halfway around, thisclamp ring also projecting over the top surfaces of the wedges orslides, as indicated at 32 in Figures 3 and et, to hold the slides andthe pinion in position. against centrifugal action caused by therotation of the cylinder. In

the best construction, furthermore, the inner slide 17 is formed with aledge 33 on which bears a shoulder 3-1 which provides an addi-` tionalsupport or resistance for'tliis slide Vagainst. thev centrifugal motionof the cylinder. The abutment plate or ring 19 is, of

course, provided with a suitable aperture 35 to permit` access to thedriving pinion.

In the best constructions means will be provided for locking the pinionagainst accidental rotation and also meanswill be providedv forautomatically releasing the wrench but these means may be of somewhatdifferent character. In the 'particular construction illustrated, thestud 25, before referred y to, is surrounded by acoiled spring 36 whichbears, at one end, against the bottom of the recess 24: of the pinion23, before referred to and at the other end against the head or stop 26.This stop, at its other end has secured thereto a friction device in theform of a bevelled locking plate 37 which takes bearing in acorrespondingly bevelled recess 38 (see Figure 5) in the blocks 31,before referred to. lThen the pressure of the hand of the operator isremoved from the wrench, the action of this spring ejects the wrenchfrom thesocletin the gear and at the same time the upward movement ofthe spindle Y moves the locking plate 37 into tight engagement with thebevelled recess 33 in the block 31, before referred to, thus locking thepinion, and consequently the slides, against movement.

The'various parts of the clamp are operated in bloclis 39 secured to thecylinder wall by bolts 10 and it will be understood that theconstruction described may be duplicated for as many plates as thecylinder is capacitated to carry around it.

l/Vhile the invention, as shown and -described, is a practicalembodiment of the same, certain changes and variations may be made inthe specific structures and arrangements illustrated an'drthat theinvention is not to be restricted to the details thus shown.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. In a plate clamp, 'the combination Vof a curved plate support, a wideplate clip for engaging the outer edge of'a plate, an abutment on thesupport outside the clip, a pair of blocks between the clip and theabutment having parallel relation with these two parts and' intermediatewedge surfaces, and ymeans for manipulating the blocks to llock andrelease the clip.

2. In a plate clamp, the combination of a curved plate support, a wideplate 'clip for engaging the outer edge of a. plate, an 'abutment on thesupport outside the clip, a pair of blocks between the clip and theabutment having parallel relation with these two parts and intermediate.wedgel surfaces, means for manipulating the blocks to lock and releasethe clip, and means for locking the parts against movement.,-

3. In a plate clamp, the combination 'of a curved plate support, a wideplate clip for engaging the outer edge of a plate, an abutment on thesupport outside the clip, La `pair of blocks between the clip andtheabutment having parallel relation with these two parts and intermediatewedge surfaces, means for icc manipulating the blocks to lock `andrelease teeth, a. rotary toothed actuator engaging` the teeth, and means'for locking the actuator against rotation.

5. In a plate clamp, the combination of a wide plate clip for engagingthe outer edge of a plate, an abutment, a pair of slides having parallelsides engaging the abutment and .the clip, intermediate Wedge surfaces,an

actuator for manipulating the slides capacitated to receive a Wrench,and means for disengaging the wrench from the actuator.

6. In a plate clamp, the combination of a Wide plate clip for engagingthe outer edge of a plate, anabutment, a pair of slides hav ing parallelsides engaging the abutment and the clip, intermediate Wedge surfaces,an actuator for manipulating the slides capacitated to receive aWrench.` means for disengaging the wrench from the actuator, and meansfor locking the actuator.

7. In a plate clamp, the combination of a Wide plate clip for engagingthe outer edge of a. plate, an abutment, a pair of slides havingparallel sides engaging the abutment and the clip, intermediate Wedgesurfaces, an actuator for manipulating the slides capacitated to receivea Wrench, means for disengaging the Wrench from the actuator, and meansfor simultaneously locking the actuator. i g

8. In a plate clamp, the combination of a plate clip for engaging theedge of a plate, a Wedge, means for driving the Wedge to lock andrelease the plate, and means for locking the Wedge driving` meansagainst movement.

9. In a plate clamp, the combination of a plate clip for-engaging theedge of the plate, Wedges for clamping the'. clip, means formanipulating the Wedges including a ro-l tary actuator, said actuatorbeing` shaped to receive a Wrench, a spring for freeing the Wrench fromthe actuator, and a friction device actuated by the spring for lockingthe actuator against movement.

10. In a plate clamp, the combination ofa plate clip for engaging theouter edge of the plate, toothed Wedges, a pinion for actuating theWedges for operating the clip,

a friction disk carried by the pinion fory having a partoverlying theWedges to hold them in position.

12. In a plate clamp, the combination of a clip for engaging the edge;of a plate, Wedges, an actuator' for operating the' Wedges to manipulatethe clip, an'abutment against Which the Wedges act, said abutment havinga part overlying the Wedges to hold them in4 position, and means forlocking the actuator against movement.

13. In a plate clamp, the combination of a curved plate support, a clipfor engaging the edge of a plate, Wedge slides, means for.

operating the slides to manipulate the clip,1 an abut-ment against whichthe Wedges act having a part overlying the Wedges, a ledge on one of theslides, and a. shoulder on the clip overlying the ledge.

lll. In a plate clamp, the combination of a curved plate support, a clipfor engaging the edge of a plate, slides foi1k operating the clip, anactuatorfor the slides, and means for retaining the parts in positionagainst centrifugal force; Y

Y l5. In a plate clamp, the combination of a curvedplate support, a clipfor .engaging the Vedge of a plate, a pair of tooled slides foroperating the clip,'a toothed actuator for engaging the slide, means forlocking the actuator against movement, and means for holding the partsin position against centrifugal force.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. v

EARL L. MARTIN.

